We must accept that the word ‘chemicals’ is commonly used as a short hand for toxic and poisonous, and that meaning emerges in the language that people are using ….
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Most people know that everything is made of chemicals, and chemical elements make up everything in the universe, but in everyday expression when they use ‘chemicals’ that is not what they mean.
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This connotation of the word ‘chemicals’ evolved within a common and powerful heuristic – a mental shortcut – where something ‘natural’ is considered better than something man-made. This idea is centuries old, and it’s deeply embedded in our culture and language.
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“[T]here are a large number of people who still take an interest in the chemistry in their everyday lives. I think these are the same people who are protesting the use of genetically modified organisms or requiring only natural chemicals be used in consumer products. These people have a natural desire to engage with chemistry,” [said Matthew Hartings, Assistant Professor of Chemistry at American University].
“Rather than maintaining a detachment from the broader public, it is our responsibility to engage people with chemistry.”
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